Deontay Wilder admits Anthony Joshua is ‘the ultimate goal’

Deontay Wilder declares that he will quit the sport if he loses to Bermane Stiverne on November 4, writes John Dennen

DEONTAY WILDER was the future once. Back in January 2015 he won the WBC heavyweight title against Bermane Stiverne. That remains the closest he got to a defining fight. Now, after Luis Ortiz failed a drug test, he finds himself rematching Stiverne on November 4 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“Well, the world knows that I’m not scared of Bermane. Bermane don’t have nothing that he possesses that makes me fear him,” Wilder said. “In fact, not only just him, I’m not scared of no man on this earth. I’m too protected by God to be scared of any man. If I was scared, I wouldn’t be in this sport.”

Rambling he continued, “Scared is not in my definition. I ain’t even scared of death, so why would I be scared of a human being? Because death is something that is promised to us that we cannot avoid.

“We can only hope and pray that God extend our life on this earth. But death shall come. The only way we can deal with death is to prepare for it. That’s it.

“So, why would I be scared? And for him to say he ate my punches for breakfast, then guess what. I hope you left room for lunch, baby. I hope you left room for lunch. Because we don’t want to hear no excuses. I don’t have no problems fighting him again.”

While Wilder has meandered through his professional career, Anthony Joshua won the IBF heavyweight title and unified it with WBA belt when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in April. He is now the biggest name in the sport and the most meaningful fight for Deontay Wilder.

“The ultimate goal is to get Joshua,” Wilder admitted. “Joshua says he need more time; he ain’t ready. He wants to put himself in a better position. But you already fought a guy that got way more experience than me.

“I just want to prove to the world that I am the best. That’s all I want to do. That’s all I want to do.

“I don’t care about who’s the A side, who’s the B side, where the fight’s going to be. I don’t care about that stuff, just me in the ring.”

Wilder can’t afford to lose to Stiverne. He went further, saying if he did lose on November 4 he would quit the sport. “If Bermane beats me, you all don’t have to hear about me no more. I’m gone. I’m out of here. I’m retiring. That’s it. I might move to MMA or some shit. I’m out of here. And that’s facts,” he said. “Anybody know me knows, if Deontay say something, he means it. And that’s how it is. That’s how I’ve always been, and that’s how I always will be.

“I fight with my heart. I fight with my will. Forget skills. Skills ain’t got me nowhere in life. But my heart, my will, my courage, me believing in me, that got me through every bit of life that I needed to get through.

“So, hopefully once this is over with, when I beat him I can move on with my career and still go on to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. That’s all I ever wanted… Or on the other hand if he beats me, then Deontay Wilder retired from this sport. And you all won’t have to worry about him doing another interview in boxing ever again.”